sillman



(No Modem H. R. .SILLM-AN.

' SLUDGB- Box.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3'.

No; 329,227. Patented Oct. 2'7, 1885;

ATTgsT: INVENT'UFH N FETERS. Phnlo lilhngapher. Willllnglnn. ac"

UNITED A STATES PATENT O FICE.

HENRY R. SILLMAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SLUDGE-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,227, dated October 2'7, 1885.

Application filed April 6, 1382. Serial No. 57,478. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY R. SILLMAN, of Brooklyn, Kings county, State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Sludge Boxes used in the Manufacture of Wall-Papers, of which the following is a specification.

I am aware that various designs of sludgeboxes have been used for this specified purpose; but as yet none have superseded the old style of sludge-boxes now in use. The old style of sludge-box was a stationary square wooden box having a cloth stretched across from side to side of box nearly or quite up to x 5 the top of same, and having the bottom of tank filled with water and paper-pulp up to the under side of the cloth. The object of this pulp and water, commonly called sludge, was to form a cushion underneath the cloth of sludge-box, so that when the printer placed his block upon the cloth it yielded suificiently to allow the surface of the print-block to set fair upon the cloth, and so prevent injury to the surface of the print-block, which is composed of delicate lines, 850.

Sludge-boxes are used for receiving the varnish or colors required for use in printingwall-paper. The varnish or colors are thrown upon the surface of the cloth of the sludgebox and spread evenly upon the same by means of a roller or brush in the hands of the boy assisting the printer. When the boy has spread the varnish or colors evenly upon the surface of the sludge-box, the printer places his block upon the cloth, raising it once or twice and slapping it down upon the cloth, in order that all the surface of the print-block shall come in contact with the varnish or colors upon the surface of the cloth of sludgebox, and then proceeds to impress the paper with the pattern upon the block. In the old style of sludge-box there is required one boy to each sludge-box, to drop and spread the varnish or colors upon the surface of the cloth 5 to enable the printer to perform his work. These boys are generallycareless and waste the varnish or colors required to work with, and also do not spread the varnish or colors evenly, thereby causing theprinter to produce imperfect work.

The nature and object of my invention is to give to the printer a self-spreading automatically-rotating sludge-boxwith an attachment for dropping the required amount of varnish or colors upon the cloth of same and spreading it evenly upon the surface of the cloth, thereby dispensing with the services of the boy heretofore required, and doing the Work better than it has previously been done. To obtain these improvements, I make my sludge round, and attach suitable gearing either to the bottom of the tank or to ashaft connected to the same, and so rotate the sludge-box either a full rotation or any part of the same by a suitable gear and friction-clutch driven from an independent shaft. It will thus be seen that by using a roller swinging in suitable bearings and so constructed as to allow of it being brought to the surface of the cloth of sludge-box, while at the same time it may in its swinging movement open a plug in a tank placed at a suitable distance from it, so as to drop a given quantity of material upon the surface of the cloth of the sludge-box, it will be in full control of the printer using the machine. It can also be made by suitable mechanism to make any number of rotations, and then stop for a suitable period, and so relieve the printer from any care of the machine.

The accompanying drawings, representing the apparatus embodying my improvements, are as follows:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the entire machine. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is a sectional view, and Fig. 4 a vertical view, of 8 lock-nut and partial view of varnish or color tank. Fig. 5 is a side view of lover of plug and partial view of varnish or color tank. Fig. 6 is an end view of lover of plug with its accompanying springs. Fig. 7 is a plan of 0 the machine.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views. a

In Fig. 1, A represents the frame of the machine, which may be made either of wood or iron, having two uprights to support the tank, and shaft 9 for giving movement to the roller H. B represents the circular part of sludge-box. The cloth dis stretched across the upper part of sludge-box, and is secured to it by a wooden or iron ring bolted to the side of the sludgebdx. B is the main shaft for rotating the sludge-box, and the shaft may be secured by means of nuts or bolts to the bottom. d d are miter-wheels to impart motion to sludge-box B from the main drivingshaft B. On the main driving-shaft B near the end, is a feather let into the shaft for the purpose of preventing the male portion of the clutch c from turning on the shaft B when it is forced into the female part of clutch, a, to rotate the machine. The female part a of the clutch is driven by a belt running on its surface from an independent shaft. f is a spring for holding and pulling the treadle K to its position when the machine is being stopped. E is a rod used for the purpose of connecting treadle K to lever K, which is in turn connected to lever K by means of a joint 011 the end of lever. K may have a bolt and nut to pass through an eye in the end of lever K. K is the other lever, which is connected to crank N by means of rod E. N is the crank, attached to the rod 9, on which are two dependent rods, 1), having hearings in the end in which the rollerH rotates. The crank N operates both to swing the roller into and out of contact with the surface of the cloth cl. On the side of one of the dependent rods 9 is shown the trip-motion, which consists of a small adjustable arm to engage the end of lever K, (see Fig. 6,) and thus open the. plug by pulling the lever around until the plug is open. 0 is the varnish or color tank used for the purpose of a reservoir for holding the material for the days run. K is the end of main lever for opening the plug to drop the required amount of material upon the cloth d. A shows the sludge in bottom of sludge-box.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine, showing more clearly the motion of lever 5 and rods to communicate motion from treadle K to roller H. (Shown in dotted lines.) 13 is a side view of the shaft for the purpose of operating lever b for throwing the clutch 0 into its place to start the machine. K and K are levers connected to crank N, for the purpose of communicating motion to roller H, which is clearly illustrated in Fig 1.

Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of plug and tank 0. The plug is shown closed by the channel of plug, shown solid, being out of line with the channel-way of easing of plug, also shown solid. 0 shows merely the end of varnish-tank.

Fig. 4 shows a sectional view of lock-nut and partial view of varnish or color tank. The lock-nut is used to prevent the varnish or colors from running out along the shaft of plug. It is packed the same as the packing of any ordinary valve.

Fig. 5 is a side view of lever of plug, also the partial view of tank and the levers with accompanying springs. K is composed of two levers, the lower one fastened to the end of plug and the small one to the upper part of the lower by means of a hinge, and is held in position by means of the spring A. On the side of main lever K is shown another spring, A to keep the lever K to its position, and is, more properly speaking, used for the purpose of closing the plug after the trip on the rod 1) (see Fig. 1) has passed over the end of lever of plug.

Fig. 6 is an end view of lever K of plug, showing the small hinge-lever K and its accompanying spring A to hold it in position on the upper part of main lever K which is held in position by spring A Fig. 7 is a plan of the machine, looking down on the working parts. d shows ring to hold cloth of sludge-box; also, to prevent the varnish or colors from spattering the work. a is varnish-tank; d, cloth of sludge-box. M shows crank for throwing roller H in and out of its position on cloth of sludge-box. B shows circular part of sludge-box; K, lever to operate crank N. B shows shaft for attaching lever to-throw clutch 0 into position with clutch a.

Having thus described the different parts of my invention, I will now proceed to show the method of operating the same. The printer prepares the machine for use by filling the tank 0 with the material to be used for the days work. He then places his foot upon the treadle K, which starts the machine by throwing the parts of the friction-clutch together. When the treadle K is forced down to its position, it is held by any ordinary mechanism. A catch or hook will answer the purpose as well as anything. As the treadle K is forced down by the foot of the printer, it pulls the end of lever K down with it by means of rod E, the lever moving on a center-pin or fulcrum. It thus throws the other endof lever K upward, which moves the extreme end of lever K downward, the lever K also working on a centerpin or fulcru m. The lever K being connected at its extreme end to crank N by means of rod E, it also brings or pulls the crank N down with it, and pulls the roller or brush to the surface of the cloth cl. As the roller or brush starts to descend to the cloth (1, the trip attached to the rod p engages the end of small lever K from the side of the lever having the spring attached to it, (see Fig. 6,) and carries the main lever K along with it suificiently to bring the channel in line to drop the required amount of varnish or color upon the cloth. When the treadle K is forced completely down, and is held in position by the mechanism previously explained, the adjustable trip on the rod 1 has passed over the top of small lever K, allowing the spring on the other side of the main lever K to throw the lever back to its original position against the spring A, which prevents the main lever of plug from being thrown too far and reopening the plug. The machine, now running, spreads the varnish or colors evenly upon the surface of the cloth (1. When sufficiently spread, the printer disengages the treadle K and allows it to be pulled back to its original position, which is done by means of spring f.

As the rod p, carrying the adjustable trip,

swings back to its original position, it strikes the end of small lever K and the hinge .motion of small lever allows the trip to slip over without opening the plug, and the spring A on the side of the small lever throws the small lever back to its original position, when the machine is again ready for the printer to continue his work, alternately stopping and starting his machine to suit his work. I do not confine myself to any particular form of roller or brush or any particular position in which the tank is placed, as they may be varied to suit any position required; but

I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A rotating sludge-box.

2. The friction-clutch c and a, levers 1), gears 01 d, and shafts B and B in'combination with a rotating sludge-box, substantially as shown and specified.

3. A roller having an alternate swinging movement from the cloth of a sludge-box to a varnish or color supply tank, in combination with a rotating sludge-box, substantially as 0 shown and described.

4. The tank 0 and roller H, in combination with a rotating sludge-box, substantially as shown and specified.

5. The tank a, plug and lever K springs A and A, hinge-lever K and swinging rod 19, with mechanism, substantially as described, to operate the same, in combination with a rotating sludge-box.

6. .The rollers v13 t, sludge-box B, shaft B and gears d d, in combination with shaft B and friction-clutch c and a, substantially as shown and specified.

7. The treadle K, rods E and E, and levers K and K with crank N, combined with the swinging frame containing roller H, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a sludge-box, a varnish or color tank placed above the cloth of a sludge-box and having in the bottom of tank a plug or valve, in combination with a trip on the roller-frame to operate the plug or valve to supply the required amount of material to the cloth of sludge-box.

HENRY R. SILLMAN.

Witnesses:

THos. E. SILLMAN, ROBERT H. SILLMAN. 

